Wrong Turn 2: Dead End
Released by La-La Land Records, 2007
16 Tracks, with a total running time of 52:07 min.
Music by Bear McCreary

When you receive a soundtrack to review, entitled Wrong Turn 2, which was a made-for-DVD release, my expectations weren’t that high, for the movie itself, let alone the score. But I think this was my introduction to the incredible talent that is Bear McCreary, which quickly showed me how wrong my expectations were.

If I would have told you that you were going to hear a scary soundtrack that heavily featured a banjo for the main instrument, you’d think I was crazy. But listen to this score and tell me I’m wrong. The only Main Title, starting with some background noises, such as a pounding or thumping, we then hear a distorted banjo sound. Now, I may be wrong in whether this is a banjo, but it sounds like it, so that’s what I’m going with. Anyhow… you have this eerie twanging going on, then is combined with a whistling that really creates almost like a Morricone western score, except if it was made in Louisiana!

Using what sounds like some distortions and other effects, McCreary creates an soundscape that you’d expect to be hearing if you were stuck in the deep woods down south. Actually, you probably wouldn’t want to hear it. But it creates quite the mood and is very effective. There are fast paced tracks and others, like the opening theme, that take it nice and slow, helping to build that suspense.

And truth be told, the film is pretty entertaining for what it is. And you’ll be amazed at just how perfectly McCreary’s score works with the action on screen. Give it a try. I think you’ll be as surprised as I was.